Low blow fells Storm skipper Cameron Smith during Dragons clash
STORM skipper Cameron Smith has suggested the shot to his groin which forced him to fall away from the defensive line, creating a clear run to the line for a Dragons try was deliberate.
NRL
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CAMERON Smith has suggested he was deliberately hit in the groin by St George Illawarra’s Jeremy Latimore while defending Melbourne’s tryline.
The incident occurred early in the second half and led to a try to Dragons hooker Cameron McInnes.
The Melbourne skipper said a stray shot to his groin forced him to fall away from the defensive line in the 42nd minute of the match.
That created a huge hole in the line and McInnes capitalised by scooting over from dummy half. At the time, the Storm trailed 12-4.
“I got hit in the very, very sensitive parts,” Smith said.
“I thought I was in a position in the tackle where I can’t really get caught up in any sort of stray elbows and knees, put it that way.
“I can’t remember ever falling off a tackle in that position that close to the tryline. I don’t think I ever have in my entire career.
“The referees obviously didn’t see anything and they didn’t feel there was any sort of foul play, so that’s the way it went.”
i guess that one would have been @camsmith9's fault as well? the cam smith haters are having a field day today and the hypocrisy is flying thick and fast... cam does nothing that plenty of others get away with as well, but they are conveniently blind to that fact.
— Shannon Pace (@thecouchcoach05) May 6, 2018
Five journos in the Jubilee Oval press box all filing on deadline having a roundtable discussion on how to delicately phrase Latimore's contact on Cam Smith is the highlight of my day so far #NRLDragonsStorm
— Chris Kennedy (@CKennedy80) May 6, 2018
Ohh so THAT'S how you beat Cam Smith! Cool, easy game plan guys @NSWRL #NRLDragonsStorm
— Matt Petropoulos (@MattPetropoulos) May 6, 2018
Latimore denied he had intentionally lashed out at Smith. He said all he was trying to do was get a quick play-the-ball for his side.
“I think I was fighting in the play-the-ball and I knew something had happened when he was on the deck,” Latimore said.
“You’re trying to play the ball as quick as you can, I saw Cam on the ground and I did try to apologise at the scrum but he was in a fair bit of pain.” While Smith was clearly fuming at the incident, Latimore said there was no malice in it.
“You can look at my history, it’s not in my nature,” Latimore said. “At the time I was trying to get a quick play-the-ball and Cam tries to slow the play-the-ball down a fair bit.
“I was just trying to get a quick play-the-ball for Cameron McInnes. There was a man down so he jumped over.”
Latimore was shocked when told Smith had suggested there was foul play.
“Is that what he said?’’ he said. “You can look at my history. It’s not in my nature.”
Latimore said Smith wouldn’t accept his apology during the game.